Puzzle.



8. s. GAHILL;

PUZZLE.

PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. v

SQLON S. OAHILL, OEBRUNSWIGK, MAINE.

PUZZLE Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed April 16.1907 Serial No. 368.458-

7 T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SoLoN S. OAHILL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Brunswick, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention,

- such as will enable others skilled in the art blocks representing two distinct railway opposite directions.

trains headed in opposite directions to pass each other by shifting the cars from the main groove to the blind spur.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the puzzle showing the grooved way and the blind spur branching therefrom and illustrating in perspective two trains of cars headed in opposite directions and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the grooved way and through a car showing the manner in which the latter is guided in the groove.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a board or plate made of any suitable material, either wood or metal, and provided with a straight longitudinal groove B in which the two trains of cars, each with a locomotive, are adapted to be guided and to travel in Leading laterally from said main groove is a blind spur D which terminates abruptly and is of such a length as to allow only two cars or an engine and a car upon the spur at the same time. The

twotrains of cars are adapted to travel in the directions indicated by the arrow upon the drawings.

In operation trains of twelve to fifteen cars may be utilized in my puzzle, but for illustration two cars only are contained in each train. Assuming the trains have met and wish to pass each other, the engine and one car of the train going to the right will run on the spur, after which the train goingin the opposite direction or to the left is moved forward a sufficient distance to allow said engine and one car to move to the right of the train going to the left. We now have the engine and one car at the rear of the train going to the left. Afterward the train passing to the left advances far enough to allow the engine and cars upon the spur to pass on the main track in the rear of the train going to the left, then the train which is going to the left is backed up and the remaining car of the train going to the right allowed to be run on to the spur, after which the train going to the left may advance and back against the car upon the spur and draw the same on to the main track where it may be reconnected to the train going to the right.

It will thus be seen that, by the provision of a simple and efiicient device as shown and described, a puzzle is afforded whereby two trains may pass each other upon a single track.

What I claim to be new is A railway puzzle comprising a plate having an elongated straight groove with a branching groove leading therefrom at an angle and terminating blindly, blocks fitted to move within said grooves, and forming two trains of more than two blocks each, said branching groove being of sufficient length to receive only two of said blocks.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SOLON S. CAHILL.

Witnesses:

CHARLEs E. I-IUMPHREYS, GEO. E. BOWKER. 

